The Connexions Digest

The Connexions Digest was a project of Connexions, a non–profit organization founded in 1975 to connect individuals and organizations working for social change with each other, with information and ideas, and with the general public. The Connexions Digest was published in print form from 1976 to 1992. Connexions is now primarily Internet–based, although it continues to maintain an extensive archive of physical documents and other materials. Much of the content which appeared in the 54 print issues of the Digest are available on the Connexions website, in addition to thousands of additional documents. Try using the Title and Subject Indexes as well as the Search Connexions feature to find documents from the Connexions Digest.

Connexions now publishes a bi–weekly digest, Other Voices, which is available as an emailed newsletter as well as online on the Connexions website.

Connexions Digest past issues

Canadian Information Sharing Service February 1976Vol I Issue 1
Pilot Issue of the Canadian Information Sharing Service (CISS). Begins with a graphical description of the genesis and evolution of CISS. This issue offers abstracts concerning: analytical methodology and reflective practice; church politics in Canada; “Skid row” / urban poverty; Northern Development and its impact on native Canadians; Canadian interests in South Africa, Chile and Namibia; the New International Economic Order and labour driven migration to and within Canada, and its impact on economic mobility.

Canadian Information Sharing Service (CISS) July 1976Vol I Issue 2
CISS issue 2 presents a collection of abstracts covering the following themes:
Canada-International with a focus on Chile; Canada-Analysis, Canadian journals examining Canadian society and concerns; Northern Development, changes in land usage and agriculture; urban homelessness and housing insecurity; legal aid and consumer rights; newsletters from Church, Co-op and Women’s community groups; church in society and political movements and a selection of activist poetry, music and film. Features reflections on rural immigrant settlement, aboriginal Indian experience in the Americas including displacement and resettlement, and the urban working class.

Funding Request March 1977
Canadian Information Sharing Service
Contents:
-Graphic History of the development of CISS
-Identification of who we are
-Statement of objectives and of CISS development in light of the objectives
-Budget

CISS September 1977Volume II Issue 3
CISS presents a selection of abstracts with a focus on the Unemployment Insurance act, the Immigration act and the Alaska Highway Pipeline. This issue also concerns the impact of changes to these policies on the environment, economic development and poverty, unemployment (causes) and activism by the Indian Brotherhood of the North West Territories and its Southern support group.
Also contains an updated version of the musicians of Bremen.

CISS November 1977Volume II Issue 4
A selection of abstracts addressing the economy; resources; environment; Native people; human rights; community. With special emphasis on National Unity and Quebec, formation of coalitions such as the Maritime Energy Commission, Native groups working towards renegotiation of treaties and their relationship with the Canadian government.
Other abstracts concern development of the Labrador Straits, Canadian Tariffs versus aid, Imperialism and Nationalism in Canada, energy conservation, food security, fair trade coffee, and the study day movement.

CISS December 1977Volume II Issue 5
In this issue, CISS features abstracts concerning fishing and forestry in the Maritimes and oil and gas in theYukon . Abstracts address human labour, corporate responsibility to people and environment. With emphasis on senior citizens, native peoples, women and low income parents.

Content consists of abstracts relating to the marginalization of people living in the Urban Core. Additional subjects include the community, women, native people, militarism, international affairs, and agriculture.

Content consists of abstracts relating to Atlantic Development. Focus subjects include the economy and resource development in the Atlantic provinces. Additional subjects include labour, human rights, education, the environment, and community.

Content consists of abstracts relating to Unorganized Workers. More specifically, the issue focuses on workers within a broad range of groupings and minorities and the common goal of security and empowerment within the labour market. Additional subjects include energy, human rights, education, and community.

Content consists of abstracts relating to Children. The issue examines the struggles that children experience in Canada and abroad and the efforts being made to ensure their rights, dignity and creativity. Additional subjects include the environment, human rights, and women.

Content consists of abstracts relating to the efforts of people and organizations in Canada who actively support popular struggles in Latim America. Content includes national organizations, as well as those in the Atlantic Region, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairie provinces, and British Columbia.

Content consists of abstracts relating to the Prairie Region. Focus subjects include the economy and resource development in the prarie provinces. Additional subjects include community, media, native people, law, women, labour, agriculture, disarmament and development education.

Content consists of abstracts relating to Housing, specifically the groups and organizations seeking to ensure access to affordable housing through education, advocacy and community organizing. Additional subjects focus on native people, international development, work and community.

Content consists of abstracts relating to the Women's movement, with a focus on individual and group efforts to address sexism. Content is organized under the subjects of context, law, labour, health, peace, environment, as well as arts/culture/media.

Content consists of solicited materials from across Canada concerning the economy, in particular the efforts to address issues from the standpoint of those whose interests are not served by the status quo.

Content consists of abstracts relating to the Arts and Social Change,specifically artists and creative groups who bring awareness to social issues and advocate for social change through their work. Additional subjects include women, international development, education, Latin America, handicapped, gay liberation and human rights.

Content consists of abstracts relating to grassroots organizing strategies, as well as resources relating to urban communities, housing, international development, economy, poverty, education, the environment and land use, human rights, native people, and women.

Content consists of abstracts relating to grassroots organizing strategies, as well as resources relating to the arts and culture, media, urban community and housing, international development, economy, education, the environment and land use, health, human rights, native people, and women.

Content consists of abstracts relating to grassroots organizing strategies, as well as resources relating to the arts and culture, media, community and housing, international development,economy, education, environment, health, human rights, native people, and women.

Content consists of abstracts relating to grassroots organizing strategies, as well as resources relating to the arts and culture, international development, economy, education, environment, health, human rights, gay rights, and women.

Content consists of abstracts relating to grassroots organizing strategies, editorial on the War in the Gulf, as well as resources relating to arts and culture, international development, economy, education, environment, health, native people, and women.

Globalizing
the leftThe
Canadian trade union movement has to put greater emphasis on using
its global ties to prevent multinational companies from shifting
their operations to low wage countries. (CX4169).

Winter
of discontentWhole communities are being plunged into a poverty culture that
is very difficult to escape. (CX4170).

Our
Transportation FutureThe billions of dollars proposed to be spent on roads would
be better invested in electrifying the main rail lines in Canada.
(CX4173).

The
Right to OffendHumans have a right to offend other humans, especially in presenting
dissent from the views with which many people seem to be very content.
This includes those views called religious. (CX4174).

What
Is Consensus? Consensus allows us to recognize
our areas of agreement and act together without coercing one another.(CX4701).

Connexions Digest #38 (Volume 8, No. 2)– 1983

Connexions Digest #37 (Volume 8, No. 1)– Spring 1983

Ways
and Means Starting with this issue Connexions
will attempt to stimulate practical and theoretical sharing with
a new section called Ways and Means. In this section,
we hope that our readers will give us, and each other, the benefit
of their ideas and experiences on matters ranging from collective
process to fundraising, breaking down sex roles in groups to resolving
conflicts, decision–making to ways of giving each other mutual support.
(CX4728).

Meeting
Collectively The Connexions collective
describes its way of holding meetings and recent changes to its
meeting process.(CX4729).

The Connexions Digest was published in print
form from 1976 to 1992. The contents of the 54 issues of the Digest
which appeared during that time are gradually being made available
online. New materials are also being added as the Digest
assumes a new existence as an electronic resource.

The Connexions Digest was a social change
sourcebook which compiled, organized, and distributed information
about projects, groups, publications, and useful resources. The
core of the Digest through most of its history was a New
Resources section which abstracted publications, projects, and other
resources. The Digest also included articles about how to
work for change, a Network News section about events, projects,
and activities across Canada, and a variety of other useful information.

Materials were selected to appear in the Digest
based on the following criteria:
– They were based on a grassrots social change perspective, or they
contained information of direct value to people working for change.
– They related to Canada, or to international issues of concern
to Canadians. Most materials in the Digest originated in
Canada; materials published abroad were included if they were of
relevance, especially if no comparable Canadian publications existed.

All items appearing in the Digest were numbered
and indexed. Each issue contained a Name Index and a Keyword (Subject)
Index. Cumulative indexes were also published.

Bibliographic
Note: The Connexions Digest appeared in
print under three names. The initial name of the project and the
publication was Canadian Information Sharing Service (CISS). In
1978, the name of the publication was changed to Connexions (ISSN
0708–9422); in early 1979, the name of the publishing collective
was also changed to Connexions. Connexions acquired the sub–title
"A Digest of Resources and Groups for Social Change" in 1983. In
1989, the masthead and flag were changed to read "The Connexions
Digest: A Social Change Sourcebook". With issue #50 (December 1989)
the ISSN changed to 0845–874X.